Books received 7/03/09

Let’s take a quick look to see what’s arrived in the mail here at the Geek Compound.

Darkest Hour (Age of Misrule Book Two)

Always Forever (Age of Misrule Book Three)

by Mark Chadbourn

Promo copy:

Pyr concludes their American editions of the acclaimed trilogy Age of Misrule beyond beautiful covers by the award-winning artist John Picacio.

Darkest Hour

The eternal conflict between the Light and Dark once again blackens the skies and blights the land. On one side stand the Tuatha de Danaan, golden-skinned and beautiful, filled with all the might of angels. On the other are the Fomorii, monstrous devils hell-bent on destroying all human existence. And in the middle are the Brothers and Sisters of Dragons, determined to use the strange power that binds them to the land in a last, desperate attempt to save the human race. Church, Ruth, Ryan, Laura and Shavi have joined forces with Tom, a hero from the mists of time, to wage a guerrilla war against the iron rule of the gods. But they didn’t count on things going from bad to worse …this is the stunning continuation of a powerful fantasy saga by one of Britain’s most acclaimed young writers.

Always Forever

The eternal conflict between the Light and Dark once again blackens the skies and blights the land. On one side stand the Tuatha de Danaan, golden-skinned and beautiful, filled with all the might of angels. On the other are the Fomorii, monstrous devils hell-bent on destroying all human existence. And in the middle are the Brothers and Sisters of Dragons, determined to use the strange power that binds them to the land in a last, desperate attempt to save the human race. Church, Ruth, Ryan, Laura and Shavi have joined forces with Tom, a hero from the mists of time, to wage a guerrilla war against the iron rule of the gods. This is the stunning conclusion of a powerful fantasy saga by one of Britain’s most acclaimed young writers.

Faust 2

Promo copy:

A brilliant anthology featuring manga-inspired fiction from today’s best writers with artwork from top manga creators, including

“ECCO,” by Tatsuhiko Takimoto (illustrated by D.K): Is life nothing but a cruel joke? One young rebel decides to find out.

“Jagdtiger,” by Kouhei Kadono (illustrated by Ueda Hajime): She’s a combat-ready synthetic human with a dangerous flaw: a heart.

“Where the Wind Blows,” by Otsuichi (illustrated by Takeshi Obata): A newspaper from the future carries a very disturbing story for one particular woman: She will die by the hand of the man she loves.

“Magical Girl Risuka,” by NISIOISIN (illustrated by Kinu Nishimura): She’s a beautiful witch with magical powers that could change the world. And he’s the boy who will give her a reason to do it.

“Gray-Colored Diet Coke” by Yûya Satô: He’s nineteen, surrounded by morons, and desperate to escape his crummy part-time job. His best friend’s plan worked great, but surely suicide can’t be the only way out.

Tempest Rising by Nicole Peeler

Promo copy:

Living in small town Rockabill, Maine, Jane True always knew she didn’t quite fit in with so-called normal society. During her nightly, clandestine swim in the freezing winter ocean, a grisly find leads Jane to startling revelations about her heritage: she is only half-human.

Now, Jane must enter a world filled with supernatural creatures alternatively terrifying, beautiful, and deadly- all of which perfectly describe her new "friend," Ryu, a gorgeous and powerful vampire.

It is a world where nothing can be taken for granted: a dog can heal with a lick; spirits bag your groceries; and whatever you do, never-ever-rub the genie’s lamp.

If you love Sookie Stackhouse, then you’ll want to dive into Nicole Peeler’s enchanting debut novel.

The Other Lands by David Anthony Durham

Promo copy:

The thrilling new installment in the ambitious Acacia trilogy, praised by the Washington Post as “gripping and sophisticated.”

A few years have passed since the conquering of the Mein, and Queen Corinn is firmly in control of the Known World-perhaps too firmly. With plans to expand her empire, she sends her brother, Daniel, on an exploratory mission to the Other Lands. There Daniel discovers a lush, exotic mainland ruled by an alliance of tribes that poses a grave danger to the stability of the Known World. Is Queen Corinn strong enough to face this new challenge? Readers of this bold, imaginative sequel will not be disappointed in the answer.

An excerpt from our very own Peggy Hailey’s review accompanies the book.

"David Anthony Durham has pulled off something remarkable: a huge, sprawling epic that manages to weave together history, politics, intrigue and thunderous action scenes without ever losing track of the multitudes of finely-drawn characters… Acacia has wonders in store both for those who love epic fantasy and for those who think it’s old hat." —Revolution SF

I interviewed Durham in 2007.

Crazy sort of folk: Lansdale takes a ‘Vanilla Ride’

My interview with Joe R. Lansdale appears in today’s San Antonio Current.

Quote:
“[The Hap and Leonard stories] are crazy sort of folk tales mixed with reality, but it’s always the social and cultural issues and the two characters that drive the series.”
— Joe R. Lansdale

Quote:
Vanilla Ride was written under the influence of the [G. W.] Bush period. I was probably a little bit harder on some of the things going on then,” said Lansdale. “Religion, I’m often very hard on. That doesn’t mean I believe everyone who is religious are evil people. You talk about the extremists.”

Quote:
In March, the University of Texas Press issued Chicken Fried and Sanctified: The Portable Lansdale, which conferred upon him some literary cred.

“Rightly or wrongly, I seem to be transcending just this genre label and [am now] being thought of just as an American writer. I think it’s because my themes are so American, even if I’m writing something that has a more of a genre construct or feel to it. There is something to the way I do it that appeals to people who might not ordinarily read genre fiction,” he says.

90% of the work in 10% of the time…

I am still trying to figure out how this always happens. I have four doctor appointments, an interview to transcribe (ugh!), several reviews to write, a feature to craft, a half dozen books to read, a comic book script to produce, an agents’ conference to attend, a new column to compose plus the creation of numerous smaller things all by the first.

How does this always happen? The first two+ weeks were relatively serene. I enjoyed ballgames, played with the dog, and relaxed in the leisure that was my life.

Well not now. Tomorrow I hit the ground running.

Otherwise, how else am I suppose to enjoy the first two weeks of July? I’ll have baseball games to enjoy, a dog to play with, and some serious leisure time. Well until the deadlines, as they inevitably do, come barreling in and the last two weeks are an action packed frenzy of creativity.

This is my way of saying, I’ll be keeping my head down for the next two weeks or so. Unless something… ooo.. shiny.

Books received 6/20/09 Part One

Let’s take a quick look to see what’s arrived in the mail here at the Geek Compound.


Prince Valiant Vol. 1: 1937-1938
by Harold Foster

Promo copy:

HAROLD FOSTER’S LEGENDARY MEDIEVAL EPIC, FINALLY IN ITS DEFINITIVE EDITION

Universally acclaimed as the most stunningly gorgeous adventure comic strip of all time, Prince Valiant ran for 35 years under the virtuoso pen of its creator, Hal Foster. (Such was its popularity that today, decades after Foster’s death, it continues to run under different hands.)

The giant Sunday-funnies pages (Valiant ran only on Sundays) gave Foster a huge canvas upon which he was able to limn epic swordfights, stunning scenes of pomp and pageantry, and some of the most beautiful human beings — male and female — ever to appear in comics. And he matched his nonpareil visual sense with the narrative instincts of a born storyteller, propelling his daring young hero from one crisis to another with barely a panel to catch one’s breath.

Prince Valiant has previously been widely available only in re-colored, somewhat degraded editions (now out of print and fetching collectors’ prices). Thanks to advances in production technology and newly available original proof sheets, this new series from the industry leader in quality strip classics is the first to feature superb restored artwork that captures every delicate line and chromatic nuance of Foster’s original masterpiece. Comic strip aficionados will be ecstatic, and younger readers who enjoy a classic adventure yarn will be bowled over.

Volume One is rounded out with a rare, in-depth classic Foster interview previously available only in a long out-of-print issue of The Comics Journal, as well as an informative Afterword detailing the production and restoration of this edition.

WOW!

Star Wars: Fate of the Jedi: Abyss by Troy Denning

Promo copy:

Following a trail of clues across the galaxy, Luke Skywalker continues his quest to find the reasons behind Jacen Solo’s dark downfall and to win redemption for the Jedi Order. Sojourning among the mysterious Aing-Tii monks has left Luke and his son Ben with no real answers, only the suspicion that the revelations they seek lie in the forbidden reaches of the distant Maw Cluster. There, hidden from the galaxy in a labyrinth of black holes, dwell the Mind Walkers: those whose power to transcend their bodies and be one with the Force is as seductive and intoxicating as it is potentially fatal. But it may be Luke’s only path to the truth.

Meanwhile, on Coruscant, the war of wills between Galactic Alliance Chief of State Natasi Daala and the Jedi Order is escalating. Outraged over the carbonite freezing of young Jedi Knights Valin and Jysella Horn after their inexplicable mental breakdowns, the Jedi are determined to defy Daala’s martial tactics, override Council Master Kenth Hamner’s wavering leadership, and deal on their own terms with the epidemic of madness preying on their ranks. As Han and Leia Solo, along with their daughter Jaina, join the fight to protect more stricken Knights from arrest, Jedi healers race to find a cure for the rapidly spreading affliction. But none of them realize the blaster barrel is already swinging in their direction–and Chief Daala is about to pull the trigger.

Nor do Luke and Ben, deep in the Maw Cluster and pushing their Force abilities beyond known limits, realize how close they are–to the Sith strike squad bent on exterminating the Skywalkers, to a nexus of dark-side energy unprecedented in its power and its hunger, and to an explosive confrontation between opposing wielders of the Force from which only one Master–good or evil–can emerge alive.

Dawnthief (Chronicles of the Raven)

Noonshade (Chronicles of the Raven)

by James Barclay

Promo copy:

Beginning in September, Pyr introduces America to the acclaimed Chronicles of the Raven.

Dawnthief (Sept. ’09)

The Raven have fought together for years, six men carving out a living as swords for hire in the war that has torn Balaia apart, loyal only to themselves and their code. But when they agree to escort a Xesteskian mage on a secret mission they are pulled into a world of politics and ancients secrets. For the first time The Raven cannot trust even their own strength and prowess, for the first time their code is in doubt. How is it that they are fighting for one of the most evil colleges of magic known? Searching for the secret location of Dawnthief; a spell that could end the world? Aiming not to destroy it but to cast it …DAWNTHIEF is a fast paced epic about a band of all-too-human heroes.

Noonshade (Oct. ’09)

The enthralling sequel to DAWNTHIEF takes the adventure into a new dimension. The Raven must fight to help the dragons of the Brood Kan defend the dimensional rip opened in the skies of Balaia by the casting of Dawnthief. And then they must somehow close the rip. And all the time the Wesmen are rampaging through Balaia, laying waste to its cities and besieging the mages of Julatsa in Dordova.

More in Part Two.

Books received 6/20/09 Part Two

Let’s take a quick look to see what’s arrived in the mail here at the Geek Compound.

You Shall Die By Your Own Evil Creation! by Fletcher Hanks

Promo copy:

The first volume of Fletcher Hanks stories, I Shall Destroy All Civilized Planets! (now in its fourth printing) was an Eisner Award-winning smash hit and a staple on "Best of the Year" lists. Edited by cartoonist Paul Karasik, this second volume, You Shall Die By Your Own Evil Creation, collects all of the rest of Hanks comic book work. The thirty-one tales in this book, when combined with the first volume, will comprise The Complete Fletcher Hanks! Fletcher Hanks was the first great comic book auteur: that is, he wrote, penciled, inked and lettered all of his own stories, many of which feature the cold space wizard superhero Stardust or the jungle protectress Fantomah. Today’s mature readers – both comics fans and non-comics fans who learned about the book from magazines such as The Believer and other journals – are stunned by these comics’ pop surrealism and outright violent mayhem.

I heaped praise upon the previous Hanks collection I Shall Destroy All the Civilized Planets! in my RevolutionSF review. "[It] rescues Fletcher Hanks from the purgatory of forgotten creators and restores his rightful place among the pantheon of the bizarre." For The Austin Chronicle I dubbed it "the most interesting and entertaining book of the year." As you can imagine, I’ve been eagerly awaiting this collection.

Hitler’s War by Harry Turtledove

Promo copy:

A stroke of the pen and history is changed. In 1938, British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain, determined to avoid war at any cost, signed the Munich Accord, ceding part of Czechoslovakia to Hitler. But the following spring, Hitler snatched the rest of that country and pushed beyond its borders. World War II had begun, and England, after a fatal act of appeasement, was fighting a war for which it was not prepared.

Now, in this thrilling, provocative, and fascinating alternate history by Harry Turtledove, another scenario is played out: What if Chamberlain had not signed the accord? What if Hitler had acted rashly, before his army was ready–would such impatience have helped him or doomed him faster? Here is an action-packed, blow-by-blow chronicle of the war that might have been–and the repercussions that might have echoed through history–had Hitler reached too far, too soon, and too fast.

Turtledove uses dozens of points of view to tell this story: from American marines serving in Japanese-occupied China to members of a Jewish German family with a proud history of war service to their nation, from ragtag volunteers fighting in the Abraham Lincoln Battalion in Spain to an American woman desperately trying to escape Nazi-occupied territory–and witnessing the war from within the belly of the beast.

A novel that reveals the human face of war while simultaneously riding the twists and turns that make up the great acts of history, Hitler’s War is the beginning of an exciting new alternate history saga. Here is a tale of powerful leaders and ordinary people, of spies, soldiers, and traitors, of the shifting alliances that draw some together while tearing others apart. At once authoritative, brilliantly imaginative, and hugely entertaining, Hitler’s War captures the beginning of a very different World War II–with a very different fate for our world today.

Goats: Infinite Typewriters by Jonathan Rosenberg

Promo copy:

It’s not as if one decides to wake up one day, argue existentialism with livestock, and fly a spaceship to the center of the galaxy to meet, greet–and eat–God. It just sort of happens. At least it does in the world of Goats, the cult-hit webcomic wherein a clutch of brave if baffled barflies (including humans, chickens, and a cyborg goldfish) hit the interdimensional bricks to save the multiverse from certain doom kicked off by a cosmic computer glitch. You can’t make this stuff up–unless you’re one of the monkeys tapping on infinite typewriters who controls all reality. You’ll see. . . .

Soulless by Gail Carriger

Promo copy:

Alexia Tarabotti is laboring under a great many social tribulations. First, she has no soul. Second, she’s a spinster whose father is both Italian and dead. Third, she was rudely attacked by a vampire, breaking all standards of social etiquette.

Where to go from there? From bad to worse apparently, for Alexia accidentally kills the vampire — and then the appalling Lord Maccon (loud, messy, gorgeous, and werewolf) is sent by Queen Victoria to investigate.

With unexpected vampires appearing and expected vampires disappearing, everyone seems to believe Alexia responsible. Can she figure out what is actually happening to London’s high society? Will her soulless ability to negate supernatural powers prove useful or just plain embarrassing? Finally, who is the real enemy, and do they have treacle tart?

SOULLESS is a comedy of manners set in Victorian London: full of werewolves, vampires, dirigibles, and tea-drinking.

More in Part One.

Top real-life fantasy and/or science fiction cities

At the creative writing program Shared Worlds students create fantasy and science fiction worlds that as the name implies are to be shared with others.

As a precursor to the forthcoming class (July 19-August 1 @ Wofford College), Jeff VanderMeer, Shared Worlds Assistant Director and Instructor, asked Elizabeth Hand, Nalo Hopkinson, Ursula K. LeGuin, China Miéville, and Michael Moorcock the following question: "What’s your pick for the top real-life fantasy or science fiction city?"

Given this group, the answers not surprisingly encompassed a wide range of the Western world’s cities– from Reykavik to Kingston to Marrakesh and points inbetween. Some more views from the Eastern world would have been nice.

Having not traveled all that extensively (never out of North America), my pick would be Montreal with it’s clash of cultures and languages. And hell, it’s got a biosphere! Don’t get much more sf geeky than that.

What would be your top real-life fantasy and/or science fiction city?

Books received 6/16/09 Dark Horse edition

Let’s take a quick look to see what’s arrived in the mail here at the Geek Compound.

Conan Volume 7: Cimmeria by Timothy Truman (writer), Richard Corben (artist), and Tomas Giorello (artist)

Promo copy:

Conan volume 7: Cimmeria marks a transitional period in young Conan’s life, as he spurns civilization — with its turncoats and legal trappings — and returns to the beloved, brutal country of Cimmeria, where he was born and raised. The dangers found in the snowy mountain passes of his barbaric homeland are a welcome change from the mind games and treachery Conan encountered in the cities of the East, but there are unfortunate lessons in treachery to be learned here, too. When a tentative truce with the Aesir is threatened by the actions of Caollan, the first woman Conan ever loved, Conan again finds himself at the heart of a larger conflict that will test not only his physical strength and cunning mind-but his passionate heart as well.

Lankhmar Book 8: Swords Against the Shadowland by Robert Wayne Bailey

Promo copy:

Years ago, Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser turned their backs on the city of Lankhmar and the painful memories it held.

But now, a deadly plague, spawned from a sorcerer’s curse, sweeps through the streets of Lankhmar, eating its victims from the inside and laying waste to the once-vibrant city. The two reluctant heroes are called forth once again to face Lankhmar’s winding alleys — and the old ghosts who lurk in them.

* After writing nearly forty stories chronicling the adventures of Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser, Fritz Leiber chose acclaimed fantasy writer Robin Wayne Bailey as his official successor. Swords Against the Shadowland marks Bailey’s first foray into the rich world of Nehwon. Based on Leiber’s notes and drawing heavily from the mythos he constructed, a new chapter in the lives of two of heroic fantasy’s most enduring heroes begins here.

Nexus Archives Volume 8 by Mike Baron (writer), Steve Rude (artist), and Paul Smith (artist)

Promo copy:

The landmark Nexus/Badger crossover concludes!

Horatio, Judah, and the Badger have survived their reentry of the Bowl-Shaped World. As they head from outer rim to inner city, the threat that prompted this journey worsens: the Gravity Well is nearing collapse. The Web’s population is evacuating in a panic, hoping to escape the artificial black hole. By the time this installment of Baron and Rude’s celebrated sci-fi series comes to a close, the desperate trio will fight a powerful, fusionkasting tyrant in mortal combat, Kreed the Quatro will be sentenced to death for the Mars massacre, and Horatio will hang up the Nexus mantle once and for all!

A multiple Eisner Award-winning series that defined the careers of acclaimed creators Steve Rude and Mike Baron, Nexus is a modern classic not to be missed.

* Collecting issues 47 to 52 of Nexus Vol. Two and issue #1 of the Next Nexus miniseries, wherein we learn what the vengeful Loomis sisters have been up to.

Turok, Son of Stone Archives Volume 2 by Paul S. Newman (writer) and various artists

Promo copy:

Earth’s prehistoric past flourishes in a lost valley where two young Native Americans, Turok and Andar, have become trapped. While they struggle to survive among the honkers (dinosaurs) and prehistoric human residents, they hold on to the hope that one day they will discover a way out of the valley and be reunited with their tribe.

* In early 2008, a seventy-minute animated DVD titled Turok, Son of Stone was released by Classic Media.

* This volume collects Turok: Son of Stone #7-#12.

Star Trek Eggos!

[ Amused Mood: Amused ]
While shopping for groceries this morning, I caught my first glimpse of the Limited Edition Star Trek Eggos!

Yes, you too can now how you’re very own waffles with full color images of your favorite Trek characters!


Kirk & Spock


Nero

Besides the ones pictured, character waffles include Kirk, Spock, Kirk sitting in his Captain’s Chair, McCoy, Sulu, Uhura, Chekov, and Scotty.

Other waffles have logos and insignias:

Technology:

Planets:

And phrases including "Live Long and Prosper," "I’m Giving Her All She’s Got Captain!," "Beam Me Up," and "Highly Illogical."

No word yet on how they taste.

Stuff received 6/13/09 Part One

Let’s take a quick look to see what’s arrived in the mail here at the Geek Compound.

Cooperstown Confidential: Heroes, Rogues, and the Inside Story of the Baseball Hall of Fame by Zev Chafets

Promo copy:

The first book to draw back the veil on the Hall of Fame, combining an insider’s history of the Hall and its players with a consideration of baseball’s place in culture.

The National Baseball Hall of Fame is the holiest institution in American sports. It’s not just a place to honor great athletes. It’s where America’s pastime announces to the world what it is and what it wants to be. It’s not just a sports museum; it’s a mirror of American culture. As Zev Chafets points out, it’s no coincidence that the first black Hall of Famer, Jackie Robinson, was inducted in 1962, at the height of the civil rights movement. Or that the Hall is now planning a wing to honor Latino players. For a hundred years, the story of the Hall of Fame has been deeply tied up with the story of America.

For the first time, this book shows the inner workings of the Hall: the politics, the players, and the people who own and preserve it. From the history of the founding Clark family to a day on the town with the newly inducted Goose Gossage, from the battle over steroids to the economics of induction and secret campaigns by aspiring players, this is a highly irreverent and highly entertaining tour through the life of an American institution. For anyone who cares about baseball, this is essential reading.

Child of Fire by Harry Connolly

Promo copy:

Ray Lilly is living on borrowed time. He’s the driver for Annalise Powliss, a high-ranking member of the Twenty Palace Society, a group of sorcerers devoted to hunting down and executing rogue magicians. But because Ray betrayed her once, Annalise is looking for an excuse to kill him—or let someone else do the job.

Unfortunately for both of them, Annalise’s next mission goes wrong, leaving her critically injured. With the little magic he controls, Ray must complete her assignment alone. Not only does he have to stop a sorcerer who’s sacrificing dozens of innocent lives in exchange for supernatural power, he must also find—and destroy—the source of that inhuman magic.

Masterpiece Comics by R. Sikoryak

Promo copy:

MASTERPIECE COMICS adapts a variety classic literary works with the most iconic visual idioms of twentieth-century comics. Dense with exclamation marks and lurid zip-a-tone, R. Sikoryak’s parodies remind us of the sensational excesses of the canon, or, if you prefer, of the economical expressiveness of classic comics from Superman to Peanuts. In "Blond Eve", Dagwood and Blondie are ejected from the Garden of Eden into their archetypal suburban home; Oscar Wilde’s Dorian Gray is re-imagined as a foppish Winsor McCay character; and Camus’ Stranger as a brooding, chain-smoking Golden-Era Superman.

Sikoryak’s classics have appeared in landmark anthologies such as RAW and Drawn & Quarterly all of which are collected in MASTERPIECE COMICS, along with brilliant new graphic literary satires. He is an illustrator for the New Yorker and his animation has been featured on the Daily Show with John Stewart.

The Surrogates: Flesh & Bone by Robert Venditti and Brett Weldele

Promo copy:

In a dark, downtown alley in Central Georgia Metropolis, a juvenile prank goes too far and a homeless man is killed. When the ensuing investigation reveals that the attackers aren’t who they appeared to be, justice depends on the testimony of a single missing witness – a street snitch with a history of providing information to a cop named Harvey Greer. Harvey is placed on special assignment to track down the informant, but others have their own designs, including a wealthy socialite and an ex-con turned religious leader known to his followers as The Prophet. As days pass and anger among the anti-surrogate population grows, the city stands on a razor’s edge. Will punishment be exacted in a courtroom or on the streets? Set fifteen years prior to the events of the original Surrogates graphic novel, Flesh & Bone sheds light on the past that binds the cast together. From the streets of Central Georgia Metropolis to the boardroom of Virtual Self, Inc., Flesh & Bone takes us on a journey through a city struggling to come to grips with its present. Not only a suspenseful thriller but also a cautionary tale, this book reminds us that tomorrow will be determined by the choices we make today.

Watch for my Baker’s Dozen with creators Robert Venditti and Brett Weldele. Coming soon to a monitor near you!

More in Part Two.

Stuff received 6/13/09 Part Two

Let’s take a quick look to see what’s arrived in the mail here at the Geek Compound.

Resurrection: The Insurgent Edition by Marc Guggenheim (writer) and Dave Dumeer & Douglas Dabbs (artists)

Promo copy:

There is life on other planets. They invaded ours. Pillaging Earth for a decade. Then they vanished without explanation.

THE END WAS ONLY THE BEGINNING…

The science fiction saga that explores the aftermath of Earth’s most brutal conflict starts here! For ten years the alien invaders have laid waste to our planet, but now they’ve vanished, leaving the surviviors with two questions–"Where did the ‘bugs’ go?" and "Where does humanity go from here?"

It’s big existential questions, edge-of-your-seat alien-fueled intrigue, and epic thrills in this collection of the original seven installments of Resurrection! (Includes issues 1-6, plus the 2008 Annual.)

Resurrection: The Insurgent Edition[i] collects all of the black-and-white [i]Resurrection material in conjunction with the launch of the new full color ongoing series that’s now in development as a major motion picture with Universal Studios. Created by noted writer and producer Marc Guggenheim (TV’s Eli Stone, Marvel’s Amazing Spider-Man) and featuring moody art from newcomers David Dumeer and Douglas Dabbs, this book picks up where all the other alien invasion stories end.

At only $6 for 184 pages of quality story and art, this book is a fantastic deal and should be on the shelf of every sf comics fan.

The Education of Charlie Banks

Promo copy:

The Education of Charlie Banks, which marks the directorial debut of Limp Bizkit’s front-man Fred Durst, is a riveting tale about college students learning to deal with life, love, and ultimately facing their fears. This coming-of-age drama spans from the playgrounds of Greenwich Village to the idyllic greens of Vassar College.

From Wonderland with Love: Danish Comics in the Third Millennium Edited by Steffen P. Maarup

Promo copy:

Edgy comics from the country of Lars von Trier and The Raveonettes. In all the excitement over manga from Japan and bandes dessinées from France, it’s easy to forget that other countries have a thriving comics culture all their own. This eye-popping anthology, assembled by Danish publisher/editor/ translator Steffen P. Maarup, introduces adventurous readers to 19 exciting talents, most of whom are taking their first bow on the English-speaking stage.

One centerpiece of the book is Nikoline Werdelin’s stunning “Because I Love You So Much,” a Doonesbury-style slice-of-life daily strip about a suburban Danish couple who discover their daughter is being molested—is it happening at her daycare center, or, horrifyingly, closer to home? Other major revelations include Julie Nord’s elegantly drawn “From Wonderland With Love” (which gives the collection its title), a modernistic riff on Alice in Wonderland, and Ib Kjeldsmark’s “Sloth,” a riotously punk-inflected day-glo duo-toned road trip.

The book also spotlights the snarky and surreal single-panel work and gags by HuskMitNavn, Christoffer Zieler, and Johan F. Krarup; the visually explosive silent comics of Mårdøn Smet and Peter Kielland; cover artist T. Thorhauge’s spectacular philosophical piece “M”; and many other stories in a wide variety of styles from the sinister black and white Lynchian surrealism of Simon Bukhave’s wooden robot story “All that I Hold in My Hand” to the watercolored animal-fable extravaganza “Tomb of the Rabbit King” by Allan Haverholm, from Søren Mosdal and Jacob Ørsted’s meticulously delineated and colored nightmare yarn “Dog God” to Zven Balslev’s slashing, black and white, Panter-esque “Cadarul Zombie.” And more! 66 pages full-color, 110 pages b&w.

More in Part One.